Washing apparatus for bottle washers



Inventors:

VApril 27, 1948. c. L@ TRIER ETAL WASHING APPARATUS FORYBOTTLE WASHERSOriginal Filed May 1937 5` Sheefs-Sheet l Illlllllllll1 I l IW l I l l l1 l l ||.ll` l l [limi l I I l l l l April 27, 1948. c'. L. TRIER ErAL lWASHING APPARATUS FOR BOTTLE WASHEHSf.

riginal Filed'May 6, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Snventors:

April 27, 1948. c. L. TRIER ETAL 2,440,419

WASHING APPARATUS FOR BOTTLE WASHERS 4 Original Filed May 6, 1937 5Sheets-Sheet 5 Snnentcws:

attorney A Patented Apr. 27, 1948 WASHING APPARATUS FOR BTTLE WASI-[ERSCarl L. Trier, Baltimore, Md., and Jesse W. Fogg, Barrington, Ill.,assignors to Cherry-Burrell Corporation, Wilmington, Del., a corporationOriginal application May 6, 1937, Serial No.

141,084, now Patent No. 2,367,652, dated January 16, 1945. Divided andthis application April 25, 1940, Serial No. 331,588 t f claims.(01.134448) Y This invention relates to improvements in` bottle washingmachines and more particularly to improvements in the novelarrangementof mechanisms for washing the inside and outside of bottles by sprayingwashing solutions or water onto the same.

This application is a division of our copending application Serial No.`141,084, now Patent No. 2,367,652, dated January 16, 1945,` entitledBottle Washing machinery, which was filed May 6,' 1937, and in which ordivisions or which other novel features of our improvements in bottlewashing machinery are fully disclosed and claimed.

A In the construction of the conventional type of bottle4 Washingmachinery provisions are nor- Vmally made for the pre-rinsing of bottlesto be `washed before they are passed or carried into the washingsolutions on the interior of the washing machine. It is alsoAconventional practice to wash` the bottles after they have been soakedin a soaking solution by `spraying Washing solutions orcleansing wateronto the inner and outer surfaces of the bottles. All such washingopera-tions are normally carried out upon the :bottles while they :aresuspended in carriers or supports in bottle conveying mechanism withinthe washing machine. which `conveying Vmechanism Vusually moves byintermittent stepsto thereby provide for thef `necessary time requiredfor the various Washing and rinsing operations which are performedduring the dwell ofthe conveyor. v

Inthe bottle Washing machines of large capacities of the general typeconstituting the sub- `ject matter of this invention the bottleconveyors on the inside of the Washer are usually of a width suicient toaccommodate a plurality of bottles Varranged*transversely oftheconveyor. Such a conveyor usually consists of spaced chains pro- Vvidedwith transversely extending frames con- -taining bottle pockets.

Obviously in machines of large capacities e'iiiciency and cost ofoperation become important items.

Accordingly, itis desirable to include mechanisms in bottle washerswhichconserve the use of washing solutions, etc., which becomeespecially wasteful when all of the washing and rinsing operationscontinue to operate even in to permit effective and eiicient operation.Ac-

cordingly, the improvements in the efciency of the washing mechanisms ofbottle washersv which normally depend substantially or to al great eX-tent upon the manner of impingement of the streams or jets of water orwashing solutions against the peripheries of the bottles becomes anelement of importance.

'The preferred embodiment of the invention in improvements rin bottlewashing machinery includes a bottle washer casinghousing anintermittently movable bottle carrier or conveyor provided with bottlesupports or pockets which are adapted to grip and maintain the` bottlein relatively xed p'ositionlw'ith respect to the bottle supportsV orpockets. `,'Ihegsupports or pockets are also so constructed as to exposesubstantially al1 of the periphery of the bottle to the effect of thejets or sprays of washing water or solution while the bottles are beingconveyed to the washing machine. The bottle washer is provided with oneor'more bottle spraying devices operable upon the bottle during periodsof dwell of the conveyor, as well as bottle attempering means operableupon the bottles intermediate somenof the washing operations topermitvgreater temperature variations and gradients between the temperaturesof the various Washing solutions or waters.

The prime object of this invention is to provide an improved bottlewasher having novel prerinse mechanisms whereby the operation of thepre-rinse mechanisms takes place only when there are bottles to berinsed present in the pockets at the pre-rinse station and whereby onlythat portion of the pre-rinse mechanisms which is associated with thepockets containing bottles is placed in operation.

The foregoing objects and other important features `of the invention,which will become more apparent as the nature of` the invention isbetter understood upon examination of the specication, drawings andclaims, are preferably accomplished as illustrated in the preferredembodiment of the invention in bottle washing machinery in which areprovided a plurality of improved and novel features involving thecombination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described.

The organization and method lof operation will be best understood fromthe following description of the specific embodiments when read inconnecti-on with the accompanying drawings in which: y y

Figure v 1 is a View showing the improved bottle washer largely in sideelevation and` partially in section. y c

. Figure. `101isa detail View in i l-'Iiof `the casing of 'The improvedbottlemwashing Lm'achinef externally.

ing device which is adapted to wash the bottles Figure 7 is a detailsectional viewnon an en-A 15 larged scale taken along the line 'i-l ofFigure 6.

Figure 8 is a detail view in cross section .o `olle of the preferredtypes of improved Washing nozzles: i `Figuraf) is-a lvieWSimilaretoFigure A8v showing another preferred ltype-jof.- washing .-nozzle.A

Y plan of the nozzle shWn'inF'gllIeSn:1f '3.a i

Referrinig'ito the riigures,A als and identifying lettersfareused toidentify like Y elements;|Iarpresents1a frame-like supportifor a soakingtank i 6 onxw-hichis 'erected a -tOpfpDItioIl the improved bottlewashing machine. i:

- LAt the-opposltesidesiof the'washen casing-.zare

provided igen erallysymmetricallygarranged:upper vguides or tracks' i8which mayioemadeofngkrnvzhichflikefilirier- 4 are arranged in a rowextending transversely of each respective frame and which are adapted to.engage and maintain bottles,insubstantially fixed position YrelativeVto theeleA ,nts on; the pockets 26 andthe frames 25. By this 'procedureof maintaining the bottles in relatively xed position the alinement ofthe bottles with the various washing .fmechanismshereinafter to bedescribed is facili- --f 'tated. The pockets 26 are so constructed andopcrate in sucha fashion as to contact and grip the .bottles 22Aonly...atfspaced points about the outer "periphery of.thebead on theneck of the bottle.

ironi as fshownfforexample, n.Figure 5,= togzsup- L portthefrollerslllof the conveyorzz. ,-Theflower nightoffthe'fconveyon20 issupported on similar symmetrically arrangedy guides or; lower tracks 2|;asindicated '-inFigure 121 'lflfiewflight` ofzthe conveyor 2Uinf-thef-lowerf'portion of. the; bottle washing -machirie moveseiroxn'left tto right, as

viewed yinrligure 1; andthe whole- VorganizationLcf the bottle washerrepresents-fnovel` improvements i and 'arrangementsirr aimo'reifor lessconventional type of"l: ottlewashing'machine;L5

is adapted to receivessoiled-bottlesfat all'cadin'g station"A"in"asubstantially inverted position, as shown' in.- Figures-1 and' 2,-to carry. l'thebottles pre-rinse station B K'Figures 1-'-and"2 througha soaking' tanki 18,as indicated -at-station C; and thence upwardlyir'r" a-partially inverted position for` draining the bottles; asshovvn-v atstationlD,

`to the washing station;li;rinsin-gI station -F,\steri-,..

lizing or chlorinating station unloading lstation' I-I. l' Y A Thenature :ofthe intermittently'movable chain conveyor `generally*indicated by "the numeral l2i),

G and thence to the screwhmeanse3'3. .The. dogs..32, are, howevenree' tomove -pivotallyf inthe opposite. direction about fulcruinmpins 34nwhereby. they .are -connected to bottlesiduring eachV period or Theconveyor is preferably given an interniittrentvorr stepfby-stepmovement, each step .being euuiyalenttg the distance from center toIcenterot theticonsecutive carrier elements or frames Y25. By locatingthe chain propelling means immediately adjacent the discharge station Hit is possible to.4 keep all slack out of the chains 0i; thefeqnvevrlpre1Carrieniramesiand nartieula 3611.110? Phe. 69X!-veyor.-2U.as.the.bottles are conveyed through the washing-emachine IThe:preferred` ypei.

.fonveyorfadvanlnng `mechanism'. includes Lleversi121 pivote@onta rockshaft 28 at opposite sidesy .oxthe .bottletwahing al slotted f'extensionv ..29..z,which .is :engaged by a levers 2.1 sare eacnprovidedat their uppersends with dogs32v-adjustablylimited as lto theirmoyement-in one directionby .adjustableistops onset and .supported lupon.their-f respectivelevers 21.

`1 Each of# the dogs 32 isinftheiplane, ofthe rollers g,... Upon. .the:.oscillation .of .theifleversf .2;1 in; a

` clockwise: direction,-.as view'edin Figures 1. and.2,

-the dogs 3-2 swingtoithe left. and upwardlygto ride over then-rollersieg-dropping by gravityfibehind each fcfltheirollerscyer whichfthey.pass. I.lllurlng the counter-clockwise oscillation othelevers 21,

- 'eachof the-dogsZ .willengageitheprearportion .of vtheadjacentrollerili.immediately ahead 'chit propelledfbyitneountierclockwisamoyementof which conveys .or carriesthe-bottlesv22frorn one` i washing operation station-tol another throughthe improved bottle Washeris bestshownvin Figures i 2 to.5. ThereisiachainVA at each side'of-thewashing machine and eachichamcomprises-innerlinks andouter links spacedby rollers' ISi.;-These-rollers`- turn uponpivot pins 23 whichvpivotally connect adjacent links in each of thechains;

. Each of the innerlinksof the conveyorchains is formedto provideabracket arm124 projecting centrally or toward the opposite conveyorchain.

The carrier frames 25 which bridge the space Iloetween thechains oftheoonveyor are mounted at their oppositae'ds upon the bracket arms 24,as clearly shownin Figure 5.

Each of the frames 25 is provided with bottle'V vSupports or grippingmeans or pockets 26 which the armsonilevers 21,.fthus-advancingthelentire conveyor. 20 ,onel-istep. @hear-rangement ofithe iconveyo-rguides I8 and 2l,.as.lillust1atedin,Fg urev -1, is such thatv all. of.theslack inl-.the .chains y of they conveyor 2 [1 -will .occurfatfstation, Lin :the tank i6 where it ;canno\t-.readily. .effecttheiregistration of theibottles. ZZ-invthel pooketsxwhh 1 the several.Washing and attemperingmechanisnis positioned. f adj acentnthe :path of,V,travel 4.of the bottles while they are..being.conveyed throughBetweenthesconveyor'feed.n ationA andth station L-"it is preferredtooperatethe pre-rinse thewashingmachine by the conveyor..20

jets with directreference .to .the;bottles., themsrelvesfthuseliminating anyneed.forimeichanical i registration ofthe-prerinsemechanismfwiththe thusialso enabling the `constri'iction ofAa`-prerinse mechanism by which the operation thereof may be preventedin the absence of bottles to actuate the mechanism.

The pre-rinse water supplied to the pre-rinse mechanism is suppliedunder-pressure through pipe35 best shown in Figures 2 and 4. Thispressure may be derived either from the City water mains or from ,a pump38 through connections 31, as shown in Figure 1. In any case the pipe 35is provided with a series of orices directed axially of the bottleopenings or pockets 2B in the conveyor 28 and the bottles supportedtherein.

Each such orifice of the pipe 35 is individually connected or associatedwith a sleeve valve 38 which is provided with an aperture 39registerable with the associated discharge orice of the pipe 35.Obviously there are a series of sleeve valves 38 and the respectivesleeve valves are in end-to-end engagement and are spaced from the endof the pipe 35 by the spacer tube 49.

Fastened to each sleeve valve 38 is at least one sleeve actuating lever4| having its terminal portion 42 (Figure 2) in the ,path of the beadportion of the bottle carried in one of the pockets 26 which passes overthe particular sleeve valve 38. It is broadly immaterial whether thesleeve valve 38 is rotatable step by step and provided with a number oflevers 4| and a corresponding number of apertures or jets 39 or whetherit is rotated in a port-opening direction by a bottle contacting asingle lever 4| and is then rotated in the opposite direction by aweight or spring connected .to the sleeve valve. As exemplifying thegeneric concept the simpler construction has been illustrated in which asingle lever 4| and a single jet orince 39 are provided on the valve 38and in which the valve 38 is returned following each bottle-inducedopening to its closed position by theqeiiect of gravity on acounter-weight or by the effect of a closing spring, both of which arearrangements well within the scope of the knowledge of a mechanic.

At the end of each lever 4| in the preferred construction opposite theend of the lever which engages the bead of a bottle is a counter-weightwhich tends to oscillate each sleeve valve 38 individually to a positionsuch that the jet oriice or port 39 of that particular valve will notregister with the complementary orifice lor aperture in .the pipe 35.When a bottle encounters the terminus 42 of the lever 4| it will causelever 4| to oscillate its respective sleeve 38 until the jet oririce 33of that respective sleeve registers with the complementary eorice in thepipe 35 whereupon the pre-rinsing liquid under pressure in the pipe 35will escape through the alining openings and will enter the mouth of thebottle to wash therefrom any extraneous or` foreign matter which mayreadily be separable from the bottle.

A drain pan 44- catches the eiliuent from the rinsed bottle and isprovided with a drain (not shown) for disposing thereof. This avoidsundue pollution .of the soaking solution in the soaking 1 tank I6 of thebottle washing machine.

As soon as the bottle passes a position of alinement with the jet oricein the sleeve valve 38 of the pre-rinse mechanisms the lever 4| of therespective sleeve valve so passed will be cleared by the bead of thebottle and will be closed by the weight 43 which causes the sleeve valve38 to rotate into a closed position. If, as the various frames of theconveyor move past the pre-rinse station B, any of the bottle pockets ina frame 25 lacks a bottle the corresponding sleeve valve 38 will remainclosed during the passage of the empty bottle pocket past the pre-rinsestation. 'I'his follows as a necessary consequence of the operation ofthe pre-rinse mechanism which requires the presence of a bottle in thebottle pocket before the lever 4| of the sleeve valve 38 can open thevalve.

It will be noted from Figure 2 that the pre-rinse station B in the pathof the conveyor 2in is not covered. Consequently the jets or streams ofpre-rinse Water from the valve 38 mightln the absence of a bottle in thepockets 26, spray out of the bottle washing machine if it were not forthe individually `operable sleeve valve arrangement whereby the valvesdepend absolutely upon the presence of a bottle in the bottle pocket fortheir operation.

After the Ibottle leaves the pre-rinse station B it is inverted to aright side up position and is immersed in and passed through a soakingsolution in the soaking tank I3. Since the bottle will be right side upin this soaking tank and is immersed in the solution it will promptly llwith the hot soaking solution. As the bottle approaches the station D itwill pass out of the soaking tank, be partially inverted and drained ofits contents which will then return Ato the soaking tank, leaving thebottle empty.

The bottles, in passing from'station D to the washing station E, aresubjected to a cooling draft of ai!` which tends to attemper th-ebottles and `enable the use of soaking solutions and washing waters ofgreater temperature differentialsthan is possible in the conventionaltype of bottle Washer. At station E the bottles carried in the frames 25will in three successive advances stop in registration with washingmechanism which delivers jets of water from the pipes or headers 4l5shown in dotted lines in Figure 1 which are operatively connectedthrough suitable piping or conduits with pump 36.

From the headers 45 in the preferred embodiment of the invention thewashwater spraying into or impinged against the periphery of each of thebottles is supplied in two streams or jets. These streams or jets areangularly divergent from each other and also pitched so that the streamsof wash water will follow a helical path when they encounter the innersurface of a bottle. In Figures 8 to 10 are shown views of two differenttypes of jet nozzles effective for the purpose of impinging streams ofwater against the inner periphery of the bottle neck in such a manner as'to cause the streams of water to follow a helical path upwardly alongthe inner surface of the bottle registered with a nozzle.

The nozzle 46 shown in Figure 8 has an inner chamber 41 communicatingwith one of the headers 45. The jet orices 48 of the nozzles communicatewith the chamber 41 and are angularly divergent from each other, asshown in Figure 8,

and are also inclined in opposite directions with reference to an axialplane at right angles to the section on which Figure 8 is taken.Consequently the jets of water discharged from the jet orifices 48 willtbe thrown into contact with or` impinged against opposite sides of theinterior of a superposed bottle and at the same time will be 4. In abottle washing machine, a conveyor provided with a bottle supportadapted to maintain a bottle in securely xed position relative to saidsupport, a spraydischarge device provided with an orifice directedtoward a supported bottle at a predetermined station along the path ofsaid conveyor, means for actuating the conveyor, a valve controllingsaid orifice, and means for transmitting conveyor movement to said valvefor the 4opening thereof, said means being disposed in the path of abottle carried by said conveyor to transmit such movement only throughsaid bottle.

5. In a bottle washing machine, the Icombination with a. conveyorproviding a series of carriers, each provided with a row of bottlesupports, of a spray pipe extending transversely of the conveyorprovided with orices spaced to register with bottles in said supports ata predetermined conveyor station, sleeve valves rotatable upon said pipeand provided with valve openings registrable with said orices, and meansfor rotating said sleeve valves individually, said means being disposedin the path of bottles carried by said supports for operation by saidbottles in the course of conveyor movement to said station.

CARL L. TRIER. JESSE W. FOGG.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le ofthis patent:

Number UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Clifford May 10, 1904 Rubin Mar.7, 1905 `Pilley Apr. 8, 1919 Anstiss May 9, 1922 Gruetter Apr. 18, 1923Perkins Oct. 210, 1934 Wolf Sept. 7, 1926 Price Oct. 16, 1928 CarvalhoMay 21, 1929 Ladewig et al. Nov. 5, 1929 Enz Dec. 17, 1929 Herold et alSept. 29, 1931 Duiord Oct. 6, 1931 Hippenmeyer Nov. 10, 1931 RobertsApr. 5, 1932 Braun 1 Oct., 22, 1935 Williams Oct. 22, 1935 Dostal Sept.1-8, 1937 Wolcott et al. Apr. 16, 1940 Ohme et al Oct. 8, 1940 FOREIGNPATENTS Country Date Number Denmark July 13, 1908

